Pan-Fried Garlic Noodles

I had this noodles at a restaurant in Palo Alto and am impressed on this easy to prepare dish. The ingredient is garlic and butter and oodles of noodles. I loved how the butter and garlic compliment each other to create a simple and light meal. Needless to say, this dish will keep the vampires at bay!

Ingredients:
1 packet fresh Chinese egg noodles (15 oz)
1 whole garlic, peeled and minced finely
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cook fresh noodles accordingly to the instructions on the packet.
2. In a frying pan, heat oil on high and toss in noodles. Toss and stir noodles in the hot oil for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. In the same pan, heat butter on medium until butter has melted. Add in minced garlic and chicken bouillon. Fry for about 8-10 minutes until garlic has turned soft but not brown. Remove from heat and add noodles to mix completely with the garlic oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve immediately.
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Springerle

Springerle is a white anise-flavored German cookie with an embossed design made by pressing into a special mold onto rolled-out dough. The cookies are then left out to dry before baking. This is a hard cookie and stores well for weeks. You can easily find the rolling pin or molds in specialty baking stores. I found mine in an antique store.

Ingredients: (makes about 50 cookies)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. anise extract or oil
4½ cups Pillsbury Softasilk cake flour
Greased baking sheets
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until fluffy and light. Mix in the anise extract into the egg mixture. Add in sugar gradually and beat in to mix. Fold in the flour and extract. Mix until it forms into a dough.
2. Roll out dough onto a floured surface to about ½ inch thickness. Dust the Springerle rolling pin with some flour, remove excess flour and press the design frimly onto the dough.
3. Cut cookies apart with a pizza cutter between the guide lines and cut each piece out carefully. Place them on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and leave out to sit in a cool place overnight to dry.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place cookies in oven and quickly reduce to 300°F. Bake until cookies turn from pale to light yellow. This takes about 8-10 minutes. Do not let it turn brown.
5. Remove and let cool on wire rack. Store in airtight containers.
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Grilled Asparagus with Pancetta

This is a simple and light dish for a weekend brunch. I love the flavor of pancetta with the asparagus spears. It also taste great with Holandaise sauce.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
12 asparagus spears
2 ozs. thinly sliced pancetta
2 slices bread (whole wheat or rye)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
sea salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat grill or broiler. Bring a pot of water to boil and prepare a bowl of ice water on the side.
2. Cook eggs for 8 minutes (longer if you don't want a soft center) in boiling water, remove and place in ice water to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel shells and cut into half or chop in small pieces.
3. Discard any tough ends of the asparagus spears, wrap a slice of pancetta around middle of a pair of spears. Grill wrapped asparagus until pancetta is crispy.
4. Cut two pieces of bread with a round biscuit cutter, remove the middle and discard edges. Brush both sides of bread with softened butter. Grill bread on each side and set aside.
5. Mix olive oil with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place a slice of bread on serving plate, drizzle with lemon/olive oil dressing; top with grilled asparagus and cooked egg.
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Lentil Soup

Here's to an ultimate soul food to warm the holidays. Lentil soup is nutritious and wholesome and full of flavor. It is low in saturated fats and high in protein, iron and a good source in dietary fiber. It is great served with toasted crusty bread.

Ingredients:
1 cup French lentils (packaged from Trader Joes)
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 stalk celery, choped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. thyme
3 cups organic chicken stock
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 green scallion, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and fry until onion is translucent, stirring to prevent sticking. Add garlic, cumin and thyme and fry for another 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and fry for another minute, stir in stock (add more water/stock to thin to desired consistency)
2. Stir in curry powder, cumin and thyme and fry until fragrant. Add in the lentil and stock, salt and pepper to pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then simmer until lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3.Serve warm with scallions onions, lemon wedges and crusty bread.
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Creamy Pumpkin Pie

What is Thanksgiving without this traditional dessert--it is the highlight of the occasion. This pie is my all-time favorite as it delicious and easy to prepare. An interesting article that I read while waiting in line for my appointment, was the smell of pumpkin increase sexual arousal in some men faster than in perfume. I am not sure what scientific evidence is it based upon--but it is really interesting to know how some food has certain characteristics to human behavior. So, readers any comments? 

Ingredients: (adapted from Paula Deen's)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger, optional
¼ tsp. ground allspice
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the thawed pie crust onto the pie pan and pinch the edges to form a decorative pattern. Put the pie shell into the freezer for an hour to firm up. Remove and put a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell and fill up with dried beans or pie weights.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and pie weights and return to bake for another 10 minutes until crust is dried out and turn slightly brown.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, then add sugar and beat until mixture is combined. Add the eggs, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until well. Lastly add in the vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
5. Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for about an hour, or until the center is set and not wobbly. Place pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream.
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Chestnut and Fennel Corn Bread Stuffing

What is Thanksgiving without it's stuffing! A friend sent me this recipe years ago and I've decided to give it a try. You can easily substitute chestnuts with these ones that I found in the Asian grocery market. It is quite good and convenient.

Ingredients:

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into cubes

1 apple, cored and chopped into cubes
3 sticks celery, chopped into cubes
1 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 small red onion, minced finely

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup raisins

½ stick of butter

1 cup chestnuts, chopped

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 package corn bread stuffing mix

2-3 uncooked sausage, chopped

some melted butter for greasing

salt and pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish or baking pan with melted butter. In a large skillet, brown sausage meat until cooked through and starts to brown. Drain excess fat and transfer sausage to a bowl.
2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic, fennel, celery and cook in butter until tender, stirring occasionally. Add in apples and cook for another minute, then add in the cranberries, chestnuts, raisins and bread stuffing and stir to mix. Stir in sausage, broth and season to taste with salt and pepper. (add more water or broth if you like a moister stuffing)

3. Transfer to baking dish, cover with lid or tent with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20-35 minutes. Remove lids or foil and bake for another 15 minutes until thermometer reads 165°F and is lighty browned.

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Cornish Game Hen with Cumberland Sauce

Cornish Game Hen, or Poussin is a very young chicken. The meat is tender and juicy and takes less time to cook. This dish will be festive for any occasion!
Ingredients: (4 servings)
2 Cornish Game hens, cut into halves
2 large orange
¾ cup Port
4 Tbsps. red currant jelly
3 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 tsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1 baking tray

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice enough peel from one orange with a vegetable peeler. Slice the other orange into half and slice into thin slices. Squeeze juice from remaining oranges to measure ½ cup, set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine Port, jelly and orange juice and peel. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until jelly melts. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and vinegar. Set aside to cool.
3. Wash and pat hen dry and insert slices of orange under the skin of each halves of hen. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Arrange on baking tray and roast for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Brush the hen pieces with half of the sauce and continue to roast until the hen are cooked through and the skin is golden brown for another 20-30 minutes Note: Juice should run clear when pierced with a small knife and/or test with a cooking thermometer)
5. Remove and cover to keep warm. When cool enough to handle, cut into quarters and transfer pieces to individual warmed plates. Scrape drippings from pan and add into remaining sauce. Gently reheat sauce and spoon over hen pieces. Serve with fresh orange slices and other complimentary side dishes for the occasion.

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